Dark Ages: Holy Roman Empire

About this board game

Dark Ages: Holy Roman Empire is a historically based civilization-building game for 1–4 players, with games lasting around 180 minutes. Set in Central Europe, it combines 4X objectives with Euro-style mechanisms and an innovative action selection system.

Explore nearby regions, expand your territory, exploit the resources under your control, and confront opposing forces. Resources can be used to develop cities and fortifications, while different building types offer varied ways to gain important advantages, improve military strength, or score victory points.

The action selection mechanism creates opportunities for additional rewards. As long as your action markers remain on the board, you may gain secondary bonus actions when you or another player repeats an action.

• Claim noble titles as your territory grows.
• Acquire technologies and train military units.
• Use unique abilities from each region and leader to make asymmetrical strategic choices.
• Play with the included Crusades and The Pope modules.

Dark Ages: Holy Roman Empire shares its core mechanisms with Dark Ages: Heritage of Charlemagne, but presents a different game board focused on Central Europe. Its card mixes also change, including distinct Culture Cards for rulers, technologies, and units.

Where Heritage of Charlemagne includes Vassals, this version instead features Relics. Together with its different cards and included modules, these changes give Dark Ages: Holy Roman Empire its own strategic identity while preserving the shared civilization-building foundation.